It’s common knowledge that being a college student and having money are not synonymous with one another. But, a part time job on campus can help change that problem very quickly, or very slowly, depending on your pay rate. Many students seek a job at Notre Dame expecting the highest pay possible doing the least possible work. But, if you go in with that mentality, chances are, you will be competing with dozens of potentially more experienced students for the same exact job. Let me make things easier for you: get a job at North Dining Hall!
I cannot even begin to explain the numerous perks of working at such a prestigious place of employment. From the cool people you work to the generous paycheck and flexible hours, working at North Dining Hall is undoubtedly the best. Believe it or not, I am being 100% honest in everything I am about to say!
Initially, I was apprehensive about working for the DH, considering Indiana minimum wage is around $7.50, but I sucked it up and I have no regrets! I could go on and on about the numerous things I love about working at NDH, but I’ll spare you the time and highlight a few of the most notable things.
1. Life Experience
I think that every Notre Dame student should be required to work in a service job before they graduate from Notre Dame. Not only do you gain great work experience in working in a team and balancing schoolwork and other commitments, you learn a lot of patience and humility. So many students fail to see the amount of work required in working a minimum wage job, and working at North Dining Hall is no exception. You realize that $7.50 an hour for four years is nothing compared to those who work in such industries their entire lives. In a short couple of months, I have gained an insurmountable amount of respect for my full-time co-workers and I could only hope others gain the same experiences.
Further, I think that the camaraderie that forms amongst coworkers, bonding over the grueling hours and sometimes stressful workloads is something that can be translated into future high stress jobs and opportunities. I think I’m even better wifey material considering how quickly I can sort and load dirty dishes!
2. Cool New Friends
Even though it’s usually really loud in the back room, there’s always time to talk to your co-workers and managers on your shift. I worked a shift with my roomie for a few months and we probably did more laughing than working. When you get to know enough people on enough shifts, you start to see a lot more familiar faces outside of work, whether walking to class or in the dining hall at dinner! It’s also always fun to peek in the dish room and wave at your friends on different shifts.
Sometimes I take selfies of my exciting job (after clocking out of course!)
3. Free Food!
Are you an upperclassman that lives off campus without a meal plan or just an undergrad that really likes eating at the dining hall all the time? Any shift that you work—be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner—you’re allowed to eat a free meal! Work three times a day and that’s three square meals on the house (which I do not recommend because you will likely faint from exhaustion)!
3. Job Growth
Want to work 4 hours a week? No judgment! Want to work 12 hours a week? Even better! North Dining Hall allows you to work for as many or as few hours as you like all throughout the year and you can start at anytime! If you really love the dining hall you can apply to be a student manager, which, in addition to working more shifts per week, entails making more money per hour as well (because why else do any of us enjoy working anywhere?)!
4. Other Incentives
Once a semester the dining hall holds a BBQ for student workers, which entails yummy food provided by the dining hall. Additionally, we have a points program and the top ten winners get free pizza at the end of the year! We also have various contests and competitions outside of work and bonding sessions throughout the year. Yes, they are as exclusive as they sound. Pick up a few shifts and we’ll tell you more!
Despite all this, sometimes I come back to my dorm room smelling of the dish room with yucky food stuck to bottom of my shoes and I wonder why I even bother working. For most it’s for the love of the money (half the reason I’m doing it). For others it’s the work experience and new friends. But all of the great things that come out of working long sweaty hours make up for all the garbage (literally) we go through everyday! When looking at ND Job Board, don’t scoff at the dining hall’s clever attempts to lure you in, because when they say it’s an opportunity to work with “100 of your closest friends” they mean it!
NDH>SDH, ALL DAY